Pivoted jaw wrench



Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 30, 1951, Serial No. 259,230

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the class of tools and is directed particularly to improvements nuts, studs or other objects, whether round or polygonal contour,.wherein the object is either completely encircled or encircled through more than half of its circumference by the wrench .jaws and the wrench structure is so designed that the gripping action of the jaws increases with the pressure applied to the wrench handle.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a 'wrenchof the above described character which is designed in a novel manner whereby a slight movement in the opposite direction of that necessary for closing the jaws to grip the object, will result in the immediate release of the object, as a result of which the wrench can be conveniently handled with one hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a .wrench structure of the character stated, a novel spring vcouplingbetween the head of the wrench or one jaw element thereof, and the wrench handle to which said one jaw element is pivotally attached, whereby the wrench will automatically close itself around the object, after the jaws have been separated to receive the object.

Still another objectof the invention is to provide an improved wrench structure which e1imi nates the use f dogs or other small or weak Working parts which may be broken under strain and in which there is an entire absence of intricate ratchet mechanism such as is commonly employed in many wrenches.

The invention will be best understood from a .consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention. is not to be' limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates, partly in side elevation and partly insection, a wrench constructed in accordance withone embodiment of'the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the underside of the wrench ofFigurel; v

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 Figure dis a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of another embodiment of the wrench;

Figure 5 is a view of the underside of the structure shown in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, numeral Ill generally designates a handle which may be in the form of a bar-of suitable cross sectional form and of any desired length, which has its forward end provided with a pair of forwardly directed integral teeth 12 and adjacent to the toothed end the handle is provided with a transverse pivot pin aperture l4.

Numeral 16 generally designates the wrench head which comprises a relatively fixed jaw generally designated l 8 and a movable jaw which is generally designated 20.

The jaw I8 which is defined as the relatively fixed jaw for purposes of identification only in view of the fact that it is pivotally mounted on the forward end of the handle I0, comprises two spaced arcuate plates 22 each of which has a recessed, toothed jaw face 24. Each plate 22 has a rear shank portion 25, and these shank portions are positioned at opposite sides of the forward end of the handle Ill and are suitably apertured to receive a pivot bolt or pin 26 which passes through the handle opening I l.

The forward curved ends of the plates 22are suitably transversely apertured to receive a forward pivot pin 21.

The handle actuated or movable jaw 20 comprises a long arcuate fiat plate 28 which has an end disposed between the forward ends of the plates 22 and provided with a suitable opening to receive the forward pivot pin 21 whereby the jaw 20 has swinging movement between the plates 22 of the fixed jaw.

At its rear'end the swinging jaw plate 28 has a rearwardly directed edge which is provided with a number of rack teeth 29 which are opposed by and adapted to be engaged with the handle teeth [2. a

.The jaw plate has a concave edge 30 which generally coincides with the toothed concave jaw edges 24 of the plates 22; and integral with the swinging jaw plate 23, at the opposite end of the concave edge portion from the end mounted on the pin 21, is the jaw member 3| which has a toothed face 32. This member 3| is of a width equalling the overall width of the fixed jaw |8,as shown in the under or bottom view of the wrench forming Figure 2, and the toothed jaw face opposes the arcuate toothed faces 24 of the plates 22.

The shank portions 25 of the jaw plates 22 are connected above the pivoted end of the handle III, with a push rod 33 by means of a pin 34. As shown the forward end of the rod 33 is positioned between the shanks and is spaced from the handle [0. The back end f the rod 33 is continued by a reduced rod extension 35 which passes through an aperture 36 formed in an upstanding bracket 3! which is secured to the top of the handle I0. vSurrounding this reduced rod extension 35 and interposed between the bracket 3'! and the forward part of the rod 33 is a coil spring 38 which is normally under some. tension and which is additionallly compressed or tensioned by the swinging of the handle It! in a counterclockwise direction as it is viewed in Figure 1.

By swinging the handle it! in counterclockwise direction the teeth [2 can be freed from the rack teeth 29 so that the movable or shiftable jaw 213 can be roughly set to the proper position with respect to the fixed jaw, to receive a pipe or other object. When the handle is so swung to. disengage the teeth between the handle and the movable, jaw, the spring 38 is placed under further tension and thus when the wrench head is released the entire head will be oscillated on the pin ZSby the tension spring 38 and the wrench will automatically close on the inserted object. automatic movement of the head is counterclockwise-with respect to the handle and consequently when pull is applied to the handle in a clockwise direction the meshed teeth 52 and it will cause the jaws to further grip the object.

The formof the wrench illustrated in Figures l to 3 is an open j a-w type of wrench. In the form illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 a closed jaw wrench is "illustratedwherein the wrench head which is generally designated 49 comprisesa fixed jaw ii consisting of two plates 42- similar to the plates 22,

which-are in spaced parallel relation and each of Whichhas anarcuate-toothed jaw face The rear ends of the jaw plates 42 have shanks 44 between which -is pivotally engaged on a transverse pivot: pin 45, a forward end of a handle which is generally designated ifi.

The shanks are also connectedv by a transverse pin' l'l with which'is connected a spring operated push rod d8' having a reduced terminal extension 49- which passes through an upstanding bracket51lsecured to the handle as shown. Be-

tween the bracket- 58: and-thelarger forward end 48 of the rod is a spring 5| which-surrounds the rod extension 49- and constantly exerts: aforward thrust onthe jaw 41; to oscillate it, relatively to the handle on -the: pin 45.

The forward end of the handle has integral teeth52' for the'purposeabout to bedescribed.

Numeral 53= generally designates a moving or swinging jaw which is in the form of-an arcuate or substantially U-shaped body,-one end of: which is disposedbetween the forward endsof the plates 42 andpivotally connected thereto by a transverse pin 54 which passes-through the two jaws. The opposite end portion of the movable jaw unit has its rear edge provided with rack teeth EE-Which oppose the-teeth 52 and are engagedthereby in the operation of the wrench structure. The inner or concavefaceof the movable jaw 53is toothed and forms a gripping face 56 which opposes the concave gripping jaw faces l3-of the handle attached or fixed jaw.

As shown, the middle portion of the movable jaw-53 is, like the jaw-3|, of a width equalling the overallwidth ofthe wrench headso that the movable jaw presents a relatively wide bodygripping surface.

It isbelieved: that it willbe readily apparent 4, that the operation of the closed jaw type of wrench shown in Figure 4 is the same as the operation of the open jaw type of Figure 1, in that the jaw faces i3 and 56 are separated by swinging the handle 46 counterclockwise on the pivot 45, which action will turn the teeth 52 away from and out of engagement with the teeth 55, it being understood, of course, that in this operation asv well as inthe. operation.of..,the.opencjaw type of wrench, the wrench head will beheld by one hand, while the handle is thus turned on the pivot .45. This action willcompress the spring 5| as above described in connection with the first wrench and after the object which is to be gripped is placed between the jaws, the release of the wrench head, while the handle is still held, will permit the spring 5! to oscillate the head in a direction to bring the teeth 52 and 55 back together and close the jaws on the gripped object.

In the present invention, in both of its forms, it will be readily seen. that the jaws are self setting in that whenthey are separated to'receilve an object, the control spring will be'compressed and after the object is in placeandthe head of the wrench is released the spring will" turn the head on the handle soas to. effect the clo'singaof the jaws on the insertedobject.

I claim:

1. A wrench comprising an elongate :handle;.-.a head including two arcuate plat'eamemb'erswin spaced parallel relation ..and having? terminal shanks. at one end, said handle'rhavingone end between said shanks, apivot.pin pa'ssingthrough said shanks and the interposed :handle" end;:said handle end having longitudinally extending teeth, a pivoted jaw plate of. arcuate iormaandhaving an end pivoted between the other ends of ithefirst plate members,. thesecond' mentioned jaw plate having a longend edge extending between: the plate members and acrosst'he toothed end of said handle and. provided. with teeth engagedxby the handle teeth,.said end edge continuingzinxa portion lying in spaced relationwith theconcaveapor'- tions of the twoarcuate plate members andproviding: a jawfaceopposing said concave edgespa bracket carried on the handle, abar pivotally at- ,tachedat one end to said shanks and havingits other end slidablyl supported by saidbracket; and a; spring surrounding the bar: and attached'atzone end thereto and pressing at'its :other endiagain'st said bracket.

. 2. A wrench-of the charactensta-ted in:claim 1', wherein said-pivoted arcuate 'jaw plate is of substantially U-form, the concavecentral .poritiomof the said arcuate jaw plat'eubeing inopposed relae tionwithsthe concave edges of the plat'e members toform said jaw-plate for coaction with said p'la'te members.

. 3.. ,Acwrench-according to. claim: 1, wherein: said pivoted .arcuate jaw.plate is of substantially U -form with one sideshortenthan the other, said shorter side. constituting the said continuing portion and; the longer side lying.;b'e.tween;the z-plate members.

CHARLES; D.';.

References-v Cited .inthe file of ..this patent UNITED STATES "PATliiN'Ifii Holman June 157,, 1 924 

